Arrangement Lever Device for Automobile Seat

ABSTRACT

An arrangement lever device for an automobile seat including a reclining operation lever ( 1 ) mounted on a support shaft that is concentrically joined with an actuating shaft ( 5 ) interconnecting reclining lock mechanisms which are arranged between brackets ( 3 ) of a seat cushion and brackets ( 4 ) of a seat back, a walk-in operation lever ( 2 ) arranged to be adjacent to the reclining operation lever ( 1 ) and supported on one of the brackets ( 3 ) of the seat cushion, and a linkage mechanism for preventing the motion of one of the levers ( 1, 2 ) from being transmitted to the other of the levers ( 1, 2 ), the linkage mechanism coupled between the levers ( 1, 2 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an arrangement lever device for anautomobile seat, the arrangement lever device including a recliningoperation lever and a walk-in operation lever.

BACKGROUND ART

There has been known an automobile seat which includes a seat cushion, aseat back pivotally supported on the seat cushion via first and secondreclining lock means, a reclining operation lever for unlocking thereclining lock means to allow the seat back to be angularly adjusted andpivoted forward and rearward, a slide rail mechanism for allowing theautomobile seat to be slid forward and rearward, a slide lock means forthe slide rail mechanism, and a walk-in operation lever for unlockingthe reclining lock means to allow the seat back to be inclined forwardand for unlocking the slide lock mechanism.

Generally, the reclining operation lever is mounted on a support shaftthat is concentrically joined with an actuating shaft interconnectingthe first and second reclining lock means that are arranged betweenbrackets of the seat cushion and brackets of the seat back. The walk-inoperation lever is provided on an upper portion of the sea back of afront seat in order that an occupant sitting on a rear seat can handlethe walk-in operation lever (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.2005-22557).

In the automobile seat disclosed in Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-Open No. 2005-22557, the reclining operation lever and the walk-inoperation lever are arranged at completely different positions, so thata person is hard to judge how to arrange the automobile seat by any ofthe levers.

Moreover, there has been proposed an automobile seat in which areclining operation lever is mounted on a support shaft that isconcentrically joined with an actuating shaft interconnecting first andsecond reclining lock means that are arranged between brackets of a seatcushion and brackets of a seat back, and a walk-in operation lever isalso mounted on the support shaft that is concentrically joined with theactuating shaft of the reclining lock means (Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-Open No. 2001-121994).

In the automobile seat disclosed in Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-Open No. 2001-121994, both the reclining operation lever and thewalk-in operation lever are mounted on the support shaft, so that thereis inconvenience in which when any one of the reclining operation leverand the walk-in operation lever is operated by the person, the other ofthe levers is swingingly moved according to the operation of the one ofthe levers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention is to provide anarrangement lever device for an automobile seat, which includes areclining operation lever and a walk-in operation lever which arearranged to be adjacent to each other in order that a person can easilyfind these levers, in which operation of one of the levers is nottransmitted to the other of the levers with a simple mechanism, that is,when one of the levers is operated by the person, the other of thelevers that is in an unused state is not swingingly moved according tothe operation of the one of the levers, and which is convenient to behandled.

It is another object of the present invention is to provide anarrangement lever device for an automobile seat, in which respectiveelements making up the arrangement lever device can be smoothly actuatedfor predetermined purposes.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided anarrangement lever device for an automobile seat. The automobile seatincludes a seat cushion having a pair of spaced apart brackets, a seatcushion having a pair of spaced apart brackets and pivotally supportedto the seat cushion via first and second reclining lock means arrangedbetween the brackets of the seat cushion and the brackets of the seatback, an actuating shaft for actuating the first and second lock means,the actuating shaft interconnecting the first and second locking means,a slide rail mechanism for allowing the automobile seat to be slid in avehicle body, and slide lock means for locking the slide rail mechanismand preventing the slide movement of the automobile seat. Thearrangement lever device comprises a reclining operation lever forunlocking the first and second reclining lock means to allow the seatback to be angularly adjusted and pivoted forward and rearward relativeto the seat cushion, the reclining operation lever being mounted on asupport shaft that is concentrically joined with the actuating shaft, awalk-in operation lever for unlocking the first and second reclininglock means to allow the seat back to be inclined forward and forunlocking the slide lock means for the slide rail mechanism, the walk-inoperation lever being arranged to be adjacent to the reclining operationlever and pivotally supported on one of the brackets of the seatcushion, and a linkage mechanism for preventing the motion of one of thereclining operation and walk-in operation levers from being transmittedto the other of the levers, the linkage mechanism being coupled betweenthe reclining operation lever and the walk-in operation lever.

In the arrangement lever device for the automobile seat, the recliningoperation lever is mounted to the support shaft that is concentricallyjoined with the actuating shaft interconnecting the reclining lock meansthat are arranged between the brackets of the seat cushion and thebracket of the seat back, and the walk-in operation lever is arranged tobe adjacent to the reclining operation lever and is pivotally supportedon the bracket of the seat cushion, so that the reclining operationlever and the walk-in operation lever become easy to be found.

Moreover, the linkage mechanism for preventing the motion of one of thelevers from being transmitted to the other of the levers is coupledbetween the levers, so that with the simple linkage mechanism, one ofthe levers which is in the unused state is prevented from beingswingingly moved according to the operation of the other lever in theused state and the operation of the other lever in the used state is notinterrupted with the lever in the unused state, thus providing thearrangement lever device that is convenient to be handled.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the walk-inoperation lever is provided at a rearward end portion thereof with astanding pin, and the linkage mechanism includes a first swinging barsupported by the actuating shaft, a link bracket supported on thesupport shaft, a second swinging arm pivotally supported on the bracketof the seat cushion and coupled to the slide lock means for the sliderail mechanism via a wire cable, the second swinging arm being providedat an upper end portion thereof with an induction pin, a first linkplate having an elongated hole formed in a lower end portion thereof,the first link plate being coupled at an upper end portion thereof tothe first swinging arm with the elongated hole thereof receiving thestanding pin of the walk-in operation lever, so that the first linkplate is coupled between the first swinging arm and the walk-inoperation lever, and a second link plate coupled at an upper end portionthereof to the link bracket and coupled at a lower end portion thereofto the induction pin of the second swinging arm, so that the second linkplate is coupled between the link bracket and the second swinging arm.When the reclining operation lever is operated, the actuating shaft isrotated to thereby cause the first and second reclining lock means to beunlocked, the first swinging arm is swung to thereby cause the firstlink plate to be moved relative to the walk-in operation lever whileallowing the elongated hole thereof to be shifted relative to thestanding pin of the walk-in operation lever, and the second link plateis moved to thereby cause the second swinging lever to be pivoted in adirection in which the wire cable is not pulled, so that the operationof the reclining operation lever is idled by the movement of the firstlink plate relative to the walk-in operation lever while allowing theelongated hole thereof to be shifted relative to the standing pin of thewalk-in operation lever, and is not transmitted to the walk-in operationlever.

In the arrangement lever device for the automobile seat, by theoperation of the reclining operation lever, the actuating shaft isrotated to thereby cause the first and second reclining lock means to beunlocked, the first swinging arm is swung to thereby cause the firstlink plate to be moved relative to the walk-in operation lever whileallowing the elongated hole thereof to be shifted relative to thestanding pin of the walk-in operation lever, and the second link plateis moved to thereby cause the second swinging lever to be pivoted in adirection in which the wire cable is not pulled, so that the operationof the reclining operation lever is idled by the movement of the firstlink plate relative to the walk-in operation lever while allowing theelongated hole thereof to be shifted relative to the standing pin of thewalk-in operation lever, and is not transmitted to the walk-in operationlever.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the linkagemechanism further includes a third link plate having a laterallyextending hole formed in one end portion thereof, the third link platebeing coupled at the other end portion to the first swinging arm withthe laterally extending hole thereof receiving the induction pin of thesecond swinging arm, so that the third link plate is coupled between thefirst swinging arm and the second swinging arm. When the walk-inoperation lever is operated, the first link plate is pulled downward tothereby cause the first swinging arm to be swung while allowing thethird link plate to be moved in such a manner that the laterallyextending hole thereof is shifted relative to the induction pin of thesecond swinging arm, and the second swinging arm is swung in a directionin which the wire cable is pulled, so that the operation of the walk-inoperation lever is idled by the movement of the third link plate in sucha manner that the laterally extending hole thereof is shifted relativeto the induction pin of the second swinging arm, and is not transmittedto the reclining operation lever.

In the arrangement lever device for the automobile seat, by theoperation of the walk-in operation lever, the first link plate is pulleddownward to thereby cause the first swinging arm to be swung whileallowing the third link plate to be moved in such a manner that thelaterally extending hole thereof is shifted relative to the inductionpin of the second swinging arm, and the second swinging arm is swung ina direction in which the wire cable is pulled, so that the operation ofthe walk-in operation lever is idled by the movement of the third linkplate in such a manner that the laterally extending hole thereof isshifted relative to the induction pin of the second swinging arm, and isnot transmitted to the reclining operation lever.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the linkagemechanism further includes a retaining bracket for supporting the linkbracket, the retaining bracket having a circular arc-shaped holeconcentric with the actuating shaft, and the retaining bracket beingmounted on the support shaft and mounted to the bracket of the seatcushion. The link bracket is provided with a protruding piece extendingperpendicularly thereto, and is pivotally supported on the support shaftwith the protruding piece thereof being inserted through the circulararc-shaped hole of the retaining bracket. A return coil spring isstretched between the link bracket and the retaining bracket, so thatthe reclining operation lever is urged by the return coil spring so asto be returned to its original position after the reclining operationlever is released from the operated condition thereof.

In the arrangement lever device for the automobile seat, the linkbracket is combined with the retaining bracket so as to be pivotedrelative to the retaining bracket, with the protruding piece thereofbeing inserted through the circular arc-shaped hole of the retainingbracket, so that the second link plate coupled to the link bracket canbe stably and smoothly operated by the link bracket, and the secondswinging arm can be also stably and smoothly operated by the second linkplate.

Moreover, the return coil spring is stretched between the link bracketand the retaining bracket, whereby the reclining operation lever isadapted to be returned to its original position by the return coilspring after the reclining operation lever is released from the operatedstate, thus making it possible to provide the reclining operation leverthat is convenient to be handled.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bracket of theseat cushion has a substantially L-shaped guide hole for guiding theinduction pin of the second swinging arm, and a support pin providedthereon, and the second swinging arm has a vertically extending hole,the second swinging arm being pivotally supported on the bracket withthe induction pin thereof being inserted through the substantiallyL-shaped guide hole of the bracket of the seat back and with thevertically extending hole thereof receiving the support pin of thebracket of the seat cushion, and the second swinging arm being adaptedto be located relative to the bracket of the seat cushion at an initialstate in such a manner that the induction pin thereof is located at amiddle bent-portion of the substantially L-shaped guide hole of thebracket of the seat cushion and a lower end portion of the verticallyextending hole thereof is abutted against the support pin of the bracketof the seat cushion. When the reclining operation lever and the walk-inoperation lever are operated, the second swinging arm is swung forwardand rearward while being guided along the substantially L-shaped guidehole of the bracket of the seat cushion.

In the arrangement lever device for the automobile seat, the bracket 3of the seat cushion has the substantially L-shaped guide hole throughwhich the induction pin of the second swinging arm is inserted and whichallows the second swinging arm to be swung forward and rearward whileallowing the induction pin thereof being guided along the guide hole ofthe bracket of the seat cushion, so that the second swinging arm can bestably swung on the bracket of the seat cushion, and the slide lockmeans for the slide rail mechanism can be smoothly unlocked by the wirecable which is pulled by the smooth swinging movement of the secondswinging arm.

Moreover, the second swinging arm has the vertically extending hole, thesupport pin for supporting the second swinging arm so as to allow thesecond swinging arm to be pivoted is provided on the bracket of the seatcushion, and the second swinging arm is arranged with the verticallyextending hole thereof receiving the support pin of the bracket and withthe induction pin thereof being inserted through the substantiallyL-shaped guide hole of the bracket of the seat cushion. At the initialstate, the second swinging arm is located with respect to the bracket ofthe seat cushion with the induction pin thereof being located at themiddle bent-portion of the substantially L-shaped guide hole of thebracket and with the lower end portion of the vertically extending holethereof being abutted against the support pin of the bracket of the seatcushion. Therefore, when the levers are operated, the second swingingarm can be positively and smoothly swung in the forward/rearwarddirection while being guided by the substantially L-shaped guide hole ofthe bracket of the seat cushion and supported by the support pin of thebracket of the seat cushion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an arrangement lever device in a reststate according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the arrangement leverdevice shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic fragmentary perspective view showing a protrudingpiece of a bracket of a seat back and an induction pin which serve torestrict forward pivotal movement of the seat back;

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view showing a bracket of a seat cushion towhich first and second swinging arms that are elements of thearrangement lever device of FIG. 1 are applied;

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing a first link plate that is oneof elements making up the arrangement lever device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a schematic side view showing a second link plate that is oneof the elements making up the arrangement lever device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view showing a third link plate that is oneof the elements making up the arrangement lever device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a schematic side view showing a link bracket that is one ofthe elements making up the arrangement lever device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a schematic side view showing the arrangement lever device ofFIG. 1, in a state where a reclining operation lever is pulled up;

FIG. 10 is a schematic side view showing the entire automobile seatemploying the arrangement lever device of FIG. 1, in which the recliningoperation lever is pulled up;

FIG. 11 is a schematic side view showing the arrangement lever device ofFIG. 1, in a state where a walk-in operation lever is pulled up; and

FIG. 12 is a schematic side view showing the entire automobile seat inwhich the walk-in operation lever is pulled up.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An arrangement lever device for an automobile seat according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention will be discussedhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. Incidentally,the term “forward” and the term “rearward” which are hereinafterreferred to shall be used on the basis of a forward direction in avehicle body and a rearward direction in the vehicle body, respectively.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated an arrangement lever deviceaccording to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Anautomobile seat to which the arrangement lever device is appliedincludes a seat cushion, a seat back pivotally supported on the seatcushion via first and second reclining lock means (not shown) arrangedat both sides of the automobile seat, a slide rail mechanism forallowing the automobile seat to be slid in the vehicle body, and slidelock means (not shown) for locking the slide rail mechanism andpreventing the slide movement of the automobile seat. The arrangementlever device includes a reclining operation lever 1 for unlocking thereclining lock means to allow the seat back to be angularly adjusted andpivoted forward and rearward relative to the seat cushion, a walk-inoperation lever 2 for unlocking the reclining lock means to allow theseat back to be inclined forward and for unlocking the slide lock meansfor the slide rail mechanism, and a linkage mechanism for preventing themotion of one of the levers 1, 2 from being transmitted to the other ofthe levers 1, 2, the linkage mechanism being coupled between the levers1, 2. The walk-in operation lever 2 is arranged to be adjacent to thereclining operation lever 1 and arranged at a position lower than thereclining operation lever 1. Both the reclining operation lever 1 andthe walk-in operation lever 2 are arranged at one of the both sides ofthe automobile seat, extend in the forward/rearward direction in thevehicle body, and are adapted to be pulled up by a person.

The seat cushion includes a pair of spaced apart brackets (only one ofthe brackets of the seat cushion which is arranged on the side of theautomobile seat at which the levers 1, 2 are arranged is shown anddenoted with reference numeral 3 in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 9 and 11). The seatback also includes a pair of spaced apart brackets (only one of thebrackets of the seat back which is arranged on the side of automobileseat at which the levers 1, 2 are arranged is shown and denoted withreference numeral 4 in the Figures). Each of the first and secondreclining lock means is arranged between a corresponding bracket of theseat cushion and a corresponding bracket of the seat back. An actuatingshaft 5 for actuating the first and second reclining lock meansinterconnects the first and second reclining lock means. The recliningoperation lever 1 is mounted on a support shaft 1 a (FIG. 2) which isconcentric with the actuating shaft 5. More particularly, as shown inFIG. 2, the reclining operation lever 1 has a longitudinal body whichincludes a base portion and the support shaft 1 a provided at the baseportion. The support shaft 1 a has a tip end portion which constitutes apress-fit portion 1 b. The actuating shaft 5 has an end surface facingthe support shaft 1 a of the reclining operation lever 1, and areceiving hole (not shown) formed in the end surface. The press-fitportion 1 b of the support shaft 1 a is press-fitted in the receivinghole of the actuating shaft 5, whereby an end surface of the press-fitportion 1 b of the support shaft 1 a is joined with the end surface ofthe actuating shaft 5.

The walk-in operation lever 2 has a longitudinal body which includes asupported portion curved upward at a substantially middle region of thelongitudinal body of the lever 2, and a portion extending obliquelyrearward and downward from the upward curved supported-portion. Thewalk-in operation lever 2 is pivotally supported at the upward curvedsupported-portion thereof on the bracket 3 of the seat cushion via asupport pin 2 a so as to be pivoted around the support pin 2 a. Astanding pin 2 b is provided on an end of the obliquely rearward anddownward extending portion of the walk-in operation lever 2. Thestanding pin 2 b is movably inserted through an elongated hole 12 b thatis formed in a first link plate 12 of the linkage mechanism which willbe discussed in greater detail hereinafter.

The pivotal movement of the walk-in operation lever 2 is adapted to berestricted by abutment of the obliquely rearward and downward extendingportion of the walk-in operation lever 2 against a stopper piece 3 aprotruding from a lower edge of the bracket 3 of the seat cushion.Moreover, as shown in FIG. 2, a coil spring 2 d is provided between aspring-retaining piece 2 c rising up from an edge of the end of theobliquely rearward and downward extending portion of the walk-inoperation lever 2, and a spring-retaining piece 3 c rising up from aflange portion of the bracket 3 of the seat cushion, whereby the walk-inoperation lever 2 is urged by the coil spring 2 d so as to be returnedto its original position.

The actuating shaft 5 interconnecting the first and second reclininglock means is supported by the brackets of the seat cushion and thebrackets of the seat back. The brackets of the seat cushion are providedwith spring-retaining pieces (only the spring-retaining piece of thebracket 3 is shown and denoted with reference numeral 6 a in FIG. 2).The brackets of the seat back are also provided with spring-retainingpieces (only the spring-retaining piece of the bracket 4 is shown anddenoted with reference numeral 6 b in FIG. 2). A spiral spring 6 isstretched between each of the brackets of the seat cushion and each ofthe brackets of the seat back with an innermost end thereof beingretained to the spring-retaining piece of the bracket of the seatcushion and with an outermost end thereof being retained to thespring-retaining piece of the bracket of the seat cushion, whereby theseat back can be pivoted forward about the actuating shaft 5 of thereclining lock means by the action of the spiral springs 6 (only one ofthe spiral springs 6 is shown in FIG. 2).

The forward pivotal movement of the seat back by the action of thespiral springs 6 is adapted to be restricted by abutment of thespring-retaining pieces of the brackets of the seat back againstrising-up flange portions of the brackets of the seat cushion (only therising-up flange portion of the bracket 3 of the seat cushion is shownand denoted with reference numeral 3 b in FIG. 2). Moreover, the forwardpivotal movement of the seat back is also adapted to be angularlyrestricted by abutment of a protruding piece 4 b (protruding outwardfrom a rising-up flange portion 4 a of the bracket 4 of the seat back asshown in FIG. 3) against one end portion of an induction pin 11 a of asecond swinging arm 11 of the linkage mechanism which will be discussedin greater detail hereinafter.

The linkage mechanism for preventing the motion of one of the levers 1,2 from being transmitted to the other of the levers 1, 2 is arranged onthe side of the automobile seat at which the levers 1, 2 are arranged.The linkage mechanism includes a first swinging arm 10 supported by theactuating shaft 5, the second swinging arm 11 briefly described above,the first link plate 12 briefly described above, a second link plate 13,a third link plate 14, a link bracket 15, and a retaining bracket 16.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the first swinging arm 10 has a longitudinalbody which includes a base portion, a boss hole 10 a formed in the baseportion of the first swinging arm 10, and a support pin 10 b provided ata rearward end of the longitudinal body of the first swinging arm 10.The first swinging arm 10 is mounted on the actuating shaft 5 with theboss hole 10 a thereof being fitted over the actuating shaft 5.

The second swinging arm 11 has a body of a branch-shape in outline thatincludes a vertically extending arm portion and a laterally extendingarm portion extending laterally from the vertically extending armportion. The vertically extending arm portion of the second swinging arm11 is provided with the induction pin 11 a penetrating an upper endregion of the vertically extending arm portion, and a verticallyextending hole 11 b formed in a lower end region of the verticallyextending arm portion. The laterally extending portion of the secondswinging arm 11 is formed with stop holes 11 c in which an end portionof a wire cable 18 (see FIG. 1) extending to the slide lock means forthe slide rail mechanism is retained.

The bracket 3 of the seat cushion has a guide hole 3 d of asubstantially L-shape formed therein and a support pin 3 e providedthereon. The substantially L-shaped guide hole 3 d of the bracket 3includes an obliquely forward and downward extending portion, anobliquely rearward extending portion, and a middle bent-portion betweenthe obliquely forward and downward extending portion and the obliquelyrearward extending portion. The second swinging arm 11 is arranged onthe bracket 3 with the one end portion of the induction pin 11 a thereofbeing inserted through the guide hole 3 d of the bracket 3 of the seatcushion so as to be stably guided along the substantially L-shaped guidehole 3 d, and with the vertically extending hole 11 b thereof receivingthe support pin 3 e of the bracket 3, so that the second swinging arm 11can be stably swung about the support pin 3 e in the forward/rearwarddirection while being guided by the substantially L-shaped guide hole 3d of the bracket 3.

The second swinging arm 11 is also adapted to be vertically moved whilebeing supported by the support pin 3 e received in the verticallyextending hole 11 b of the second swinging arm 11. Incidentally, thevertically extending hole 11 b and the guide hole 3 d may be omitted. Inthis case, the second swinging arm 11 is pivotally supported by thesupport pin 3 e of the bracket 3 and, thus, the second swinging arm 11can be also swung around the support pin 3 e.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the first link plate 12 is formed as a linearplate extending longitudinally. The first link plate 12 has a circularhole 12 a formed in an upper end portion thereof and the elongated hole12 b (briefly described above) formed in a lower end portion thereof. Asshown in FIG. 1, the support pin 10 b of the first swinging arm 10 isinserted through the circular hole 12 a of the first link plate 12 andthe standing pin 2 b of the walk-in operation lever 2 is insertedthrough the elongated hole 12 b of the first link plate 12, so that thefirst link plate 12 is coupled between the first swinging arm 10 and thewalk-in operation lever 2.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the second link plate 13 is formed as a linearplate that extends longitudinally and is shorter than the first linkplate 12. The second link plate 13 has a circular hole 13 a formed in anupper end portion thereof and a circular hole 13 b formed in a lower endportion thereof. As shown in FIG. 1, the upper end portion of the secondlink plate 13 is coupled to the link bracket 15 via a connection pin 13c penetrating through the circular hole 13 a of the second link plate 13and the induction pin 11 a of the second swinging arm 11 is insertedthrough the circular hole 13 b of the second link plate 13, so that thesecond link plate 13 is coupled between the second swinging arm 11 andthe link bracket 15.

Referring now to FIG. 7, the third link plate 14 is formed as a circulararc-shaped plate. The third link plate 14 has a circular hole 14 aformed in one end portion thereof and a laterally extending hole 14 b ofa substantially ellipse-shape formed in the other end portion thereof.As shown in FIG. 1, the support pin 10 b of the first swinging arm 10 isinserted through the circular hole 14 a of the third link plate 14 andthe induction pin 11 a of the second swinging arm 11 is inserted throughthe ellipse-shaped hole 14 b of the third link plate 14, so that thethird link plate 14 is coupled between the first swinging arm 10 and thesecond swinging arm 11.

Referring now to FIG. 8, the link bracket 15 has a body having a shapesubstantially resemblant to the first swinging arm 10 and smaller thanthe first swinging arm 10. The body of the link bracket 15 includes atip end portion and a base portion having a through-hole 15 a throughwhich the press-fit portion 1 b of the support shaft 1 a of thereclining operation lever 1 is inserted. The tip end portion of the linkbracket 15 has a through-hole 15 b through which the connection pin 13 c(FIG. 1) of the second link plate 13 is inserted. Thus, the link bracket15 is coupled between the support shaft 1 a concentrically joined withthe actuating shaft 5 and the second link plate 13. Moreover, as shownin FIG. 2, the link bracket 15 is provided with a protruding piece 15 cextending perpendicularly to the body of the link bracket 15 from anedge of the tip end portion of the body of the link bracket 15, and aspring-retaining piece 15 d extending from an edge of an upper region ofthe base portion of the link bracket 15 in a direction opposite to thedirection in which the protruding piece 15 c extends.

The retaining bracket 16 serves to support the link bracket 15 andincludes a plate-shaped body and a rising-up leg portion 16 a of asubstantially L-shape standing up from the plate-shaped body of theretaining bracket 6 as shown in FIG. 2. The retaining bracket 16 isfixedly mounted at the rising-up leg portion 16 a thereof to the bracket3 of the seat cushion.

Again referring to FIG. 2, the plate-shaped body of the retainingbracket 16 is formed with a through-hole 16 b through which thepress-fit portion 1 b of the support pin 1 a of the reclining operationlever 1 is inserted. In addition, the plate-shaped body of the retainingbracket 16 is formed with a circular arc-shaped hole 16 c that isconcentric with the actuating shaft 5. Moreover, the plate-shaped bodyof the retaining bracket 16 has a spring-retaining notch 16 d formed inan upper edge region thereof.

The link bracket 15 is combined with the retaining bracket 16 byinserting the protruding piece 15 c of the link bracket 15 through thecircular arc-shaped hole 16 c of the retaining bracket 16, so that thelink bracket 15 is adapted to be stably pivoted along the circulararc-shaped hole 16 c when the reclining operation lever 1 is pulled up.A return coil spring 17 is mounted at its coil portion around thepress-fit portion 1 b of the support pin 1 a of the reclining operationlever 1 with one end thereof being retained to the spring-retainingpiece 15 d of the link bracket 15 and with the other end thereof beingretained in the notch 16 d of the retaining bracket 16, whereby thereclining operation lever 1 is urged by the return coil spring 17 so asto be capable of returning to its original position after the recliningoperation lever 1 is released from the operated condition thereof.

In the arrangement lever device constructed as discussed above, when theseat back is in a sitting posture (FIG. 1), the induction pin 11 a ofthe second swinging arm 11 is located at the middle bent-portion of thesubstantially L-shaped guide hole 3 d of the bracket 3 of the seatcushion, and is maintained at the middle bent-portion of thesubstantially L-shaped guide hole 3 d by the action of a coil spring 11d (FIG. 2) provided between the induction pin 11 a of the secondswinging arm 11 and a spring-retaining pin 3 f (FIG. 2) standing up fromthe bracket 3 of the seat cushion as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, in the statewhere the seat back is in the sitting posture, the second swinging arm11 is located with respect to the bracket 3 of the seat cushion with alower end of the vertically extending hole 11 b of the second swingingarm 11 being abutted against the support pin 3 e of the bracket 3 of theseat cushion as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.

Moreover, the first link plate 12 is located with respect to the walk-inoperation lever 2 with a lower end of the elongated hole 12 b of thefirst link plate 12 being abutted against the standing pin 2 b of thewalk-in operation lever 2. The third link plate 14 is located withrespect to the second swinging arm 11 with a forward end of thelaterally extending hole 14 b of the third link plate 14 being abuttedagainst the induction pin 11 a of the second swinging arm 11.

In the state where the seat back is in the sitting posture, when thereclining operation lever 1 is pulled upward as shown in FIG. 9, theactuating shaft 5 is rotated, whereby the reclining lock means areunlocked, the brackets of the seat back are pivoted forward by theaction of the spiral springs 6 (only one of the spiral springs 6 isshown in FIG. 9), and the seat back is pivoted forward. At this time,downward movement of the second link plate 13 causes the induction pin11 a of the second swinging arm 11 to be shifted from the middlebent-portion of the substantially L-shaped guide hole 3 d of the bracket3 toward the obliquely forward and downward extending portion of thesubstantially L-shaped guide hole 3 d of the bracket 3, so that theinduction pin 11 a is not abutted against the protruding piece 4 b ofthe bracket 4 of the seat back. Thus, the pivotal movement of the seatback is restricted by only the abutment of the spring-retaining piecesof the brackets of the seat back (only the spring-retaining piece 6 b ofthe bracket 4 of the seat back is shown in FIG. 9) against the rising-upflange portions of the brackets of the seat cushion as shown in FIG. 9(only the rising-up flange portion 3 b of the bracket 3 of the seat backis shown in FIG. 9).

According to the operation of the reclining operation lever 1, the firstswinging arm 10 is pivoted to thereby cause the first link plate 12 tobe moved downward in such a manner that the vertically extending hole 12b of the first link plate 12 is shifted relative to the standing plate 2b of the walk-in operation lever 2. Thus, the first link plate 12 isidled relative to the walk-in operation lever 2 and the operation of thereclining operation lever 1 is not transmitted to the walk-in operationlever 2.

Moreover, the link bracket 15 is pivoted and the second link plate 13coupled to the link bracket 15 is moved downward as discussed above,whereby the second swinging arm 11 is swung in a forward direction,namely, in a direction in which the wire cable 18 is not pulled, in sucha manner that the induction pin 11 a in the state of being abuttedagainst the forward end of the laterally extending hole 14 b of thethird link plate 14 is allowed to be moved relative to the bracket 3from the middle bent-portion of the substantially L-shaped guide hole 3d of the bracket 3 toward the obliquely forward and downward extendingportion of the substantially L-shaped guide hole 3 d. Thus, the slidelock means for the slide rail mechanism is not actuated for unlocking ofthe slide lock means.

In summary, in the state where the seat back B is in the sitting postureshown by a broken-line in FIG. 10, when the reclining operation lever 1is pulled up, the seat back B is pivoted forward relative to the seatcushion C as shown by a solid line in FIG. 10. At this time, theoperation of the reclining operation lever 1 is not transmitted to thewalk-in operation lever 2 as discussed above, so that the walk-inoperation lever 2 is not swingingly moved. In addition, the slide lockmeans for the slide rail mechanism S is not actuated for the unlockingof the slide lock means as discussed above, so that the slide railmechanism S is not brought into a state where it allows the automobileseat to be slid.

In the state where the seat back is in the sitting posture, when thewalk-in operation lever 2 is pulled up as shown in FIG. 11, the firstlink plate 12 is pulled downward to thereby cause the first swinging arm10 to be swung while allowing the third link pate 14 to be movedrelative to the induction pin 11 a of the second swinging arm 11 in sucha manner that a rearward end portion of the laterally extending hole 14b of the third link plate 14 receive the induction pin 11 a as shown inFIG. 11. By the swinging movement of the first swinging arm 10, thereclining lock means are unlocked and the brackets of the seat back arepivoted forward by the action of the spiral springs 6, whereby the seatback B is pivoted forward. As discussed above, when the first link plate12 is pulled downward, the third link plate 14 is moved relative to theinduction pin 11 a of the second swinging arm 11 in such a manner thatthe rearward end portion of the laterally extending hole 14 b of thethird link plate 14 receive the induction pin 11 a. Therefore, when theseat back is pivoted forward, the protruding piece 4 b of the bracket 4of the seat back is abutted against the induction pin 11 a of the secondswinging arm 11, whereby the seat back B is maintained to be inclined ata predetermined angle as shown by a solid line in FIG. 12.

When the third link plate 14 is moved relative to the induction pin 11 aof the second swinging arm 11 as discussed above and the protrudingpiece 4 b of the bracket 4 of the seat back is abutted against theinduction pin 11 a, the induction pin 11 a is shifted from the middlebent-portion of the substantially L-shaped guide hole 3 d of the bracket3 of the seat cushion to the obliquely rearward extending portion of thesubstantially L-shaped guide hole 3 d of the bracket 3, whereby thesecond swinging arm 11 is pivoted in a rearward direction, namely, in adirection in which the wire cable 18 is pulled. By the pulling of thewire cable 18, the slide lock means for the slide rail mechanism isunlocked. The downward movement of the first link plate 12 by thepulling operation of the walk-in operation lever 2 is converted into themovement of the third link plate 14 relative to the induction pin 11 aof the second swinging arm 11. Therefore, force which is produced by thepulling-up operation of the walk-in operation lever 2 and thentransmitted to the third link plate 14 through the first link plate 12is idly consumed by the movement of the third link plate 14 relative tothe induction pin 11 a of the second swinging arm 11, so that theoperation of the walk-in operation lever 2 is not transmitted to thereclining operation lever 1.

In summary, in the state where the seat back B is in the sitting postureas shown by a broken-line in FIG. 12, when the walk-in operation lever 2is pulled up, the reclining lock means are unlocked and the seat back Bis pivoted forward relative to the seat cushion C and is maintained tobe inclined at the predetermined angle as shown in the solid line inFIG. 12. Moreover, the slide lock means for the slide rail mechanism Sis unlocked, so that the vehicle seat is brought into the state where itcan be slide forward via the slide rail mechanism S. In addition, theoperation of the walk-in operation lever 2 is not transmitted to thereclining lock lever 1, so that the reclining operation lever is notswingingly moved.

As discussed above, the reclining operation lever 1 is mounted to thesupport shaft 1 a that is concentrically joined with the actuating shaft5 interconnecting the reclining lock means that are arranged between thebrackets of the seat cushion and the bracket of the seat back, and thewalk-in operation lever 2 is arranged to be adjacent to the recliningoperation lever 1 and is pivotally supported on the bracket 3 of theseat cushion, so that the reclining operation lever 1 and the walk-inoperation lever 2 become easy to be found.

Moreover, the linkage mechanism for preventing the motion of one of thelevers 1, 2 from being transmitted to the other of the levers 1, 2 iscoupled between the levers 1, 2, so that with the simple linkagemechanism, one of the levers 1, 2 which is in the unused state isprevented from being swingingly moved according to the operation of theother lever in the used state and the operation of the other lever inthe used state is not interrupted with the lever in the unused state,thus providing the arrangement lever device that is convenient to behandled.

In addition, the link bracket 15 is combined with the retaining bracket16 so as to be pivoted relative to the retaining bracket 16, so that thesecond link plate 13 coupled to the link bracket 15 can be stably andsmoothly operated by the link bracket 15, and the second swinging arm 11can be also stably and smoothly operated by the second link plate 13.Moreover, the return coil spring 17 is stretched between the linkbracket 15 and the retaining bracket 16, whereby the reclining operationlever 1 is adapted to be returned to its original position by the returncoil spring 17 after the reclining operation lever 1 is released fromthe operated state, thus making it possible to provide the recliningoperation lever 1 that is convenient to be handled.

Moreover, the bracket 3 of the seat cushion has the substantiallyL-shaped guide hole 3 d through which the induction pin 11 a of thesecond swinging arm 11 is inserted and which allows the second swingingarm 11 to be swung forward and rearward while allowing the induction pin11 a thereof being guided along the guide hole 3 d of the bracket 3 ofthe seat cushion, so that the second swinging arm 11 can be stably swungon the bracket 3 of the seat cushion, and the slide lock means for theslide rail mechanism can be smoothly unlocked by the wire cable 18 whichis pulled by the smooth swinging movement of the second swinging arm 11.

As discussed above, the second swinging arm 11 has the verticallyextending hole 11 b, the support pin 3 e for supporting the secondswinging arm 11 so as to allow the second swinging arm 11 to be pivotedis provided on the bracket 3 of the seat cushion, and the secondswinging arm 11 is arranged with the vertically extending hole 11 bthereof receiving the support pin 3 e of the bracket 3 and with theinduction pin 11 a thereof being inserted through the substantiallyL-shaped guide hole 3 d of the bracket 3 of the seat cushion. At theinitial state, the second swinging arm 11 is located with respect to thebracket 3 of the seat cushion with the induction pin 11 a thereof beinglocated at the middle bent-portion of the substantially L-shaped guidehole 3 d of the bracket 3 and with the lower end portion of thevertically extending hole 11 b thereof being abutted against the supportpin 3 e of the bracket 3 of the seat cushion.

Therefore, when the levers 1, 2 are operated, the second swinging arm 11can be positively and smoothly swung in the forward/rearward directionwhile being guided by the substantially L-shaped guide hole 3 d of thebracket 3 of the seat cushion and supported by the support pin 3 e ofthe bracket 3 of the seat cushion.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms ofdescription and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the useof such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of thefeatures shown and described, or portions thereof, but it is recognizedthat various modifications are possible within the scope of theinvention claimed.

1. An arrangement lever device for an automobile seat, the automobileseat including a seat cushion having a pair of spaced apart brackets, aseat cushion having a pair of spaced apart brackets and pivotallysupported to the seat cushion via first and second reclining lock meansarranged between the brackets of the seat cushion and the brackets ofthe seat back, an actuating shaft for actuating the first and secondlock means, the actuating shaft interconnecting the first and secondlocking means, a slide rail mechanism for allowing the automobile seatto be slid in a vehicle body, and slide lock means for locking the sliderail mechanism and preventing the slide movement of the automobile seat,the arrangement lever device comprising: a reclining operation lever forunlocking the first and second reclining lock means to allow the seatback to be angularly adjusted and pivoted forward and rearward relativeto the seat cushion; the reclining operation lever being mounted on asupport shaft that is concentrically joined with the actuating shaft; awalk-in operation lever for unlocking the first and second reclininglock means to allow the seat back to be inclined forward and forunlocking the slide lock means for the slide rail mechanism; the walk-inoperation lever being arranged to be adjacent to the reclining operationlever and pivotally supported on one of the brackets of the seatcushion; and a linkage mechanism for preventing the motion of one of thereclining operation and walk-in operation levers from being transmittedto the other of the levers; the linkage mechanism coupled between thereclining operation lever and the walk-in operation lever.
 2. Thearrangement lever device according to claim 1, wherein the walk-inoperation lever is provided at a rearward end portion thereof with astanding pin, wherein the linkage mechanism includes a first swingingbar supported by the actuating shaft, a link bracket supported on thesupport shaft, a second swinging arm pivotally supported on the bracketof the seat cushion and coupled to the slide lock means for the sliderail mechanism via a wire cable, the second swinging arm being providedat an upper end portion thereof with an induction pin, a first linkplate having an elongated hole formed in a lower end portion thereof,the first link plate being coupled at an upper end portion thereof tothe first swinging arm with the elongated hole thereof receiving thestanding pin of the walk-in operation lever, so that the first linkplate is coupled between the first swinging arm and the walk-inoperation lever, and a second link plate coupled at an upper end portionthereof to the link bracket and coupled at a lower end portion thereofto the induction pin of the second swinging arm, so that the second linkplate is coupled between the link bracket and the second swinging arm,and wherein when the reclining operation lever is operated, theactuating shaft is rotated to thereby cause the first and secondreclining lock means to be unlocked, the first swinging arm is swung tothereby cause the first link plate to be moved relative to the walk-inoperation lever while allowing the elongated hole thereof to be shiftedrelative to the standing pin of the walk-in operation lever, and thesecond link plate is moved to thereby cause the second swinging lever tobe pivoted in a direction in which the wire cable is not pulled, so thatthe operation of the reclining operation lever is idled by the movementof the first link plate relative to the walk-in operation lever whileallowing the elongated hole thereof to be shifted relative to thestanding pin of the walk-in operation lever, and is not transmitted tothe walk-in operation lever.
 3. The arrangement lever device accordingclaim 2, wherein the linkage mechanism further includes a third linkplate having a laterally extending hole formed in one end portionthereof, the third link plate being coupled at the other end portion tothe first swinging arm with the laterally extending hole thereofreceiving the induction pin of the second swinging arm, so that thethird link plate is coupled between the first swinging arm and thesecond swinging arm, and wherein when the walk-in operation lever isoperated, the first link plate is pulled downward to thereby cause thefirst swinging arm to be swung while allowing the third link plate to bemoved in such a manner that the laterally extending hole thereof isshifted relative to the induction pin of the second swinging arm, andthe second swinging arm is swung in a direction in which the wire cableis pulled, so that the operation of the walk-in operation lever is idledby the movement of the third link plate in such a manner that thelaterally extending hole thereof is shifted relative to the inductionpin of the second swinging arm, and is not transmitted to the recliningoperation lever.
 4. The arrangement lever device according to claim 2 or3, wherein the linkage mechanism further includes a retaining bracketfor supporting the link bracket, the retaining bracket having a circulararc-shaped hole concentric with the actuating shaft, and the retainingbracket being mounted on the support shaft and mounted to the bracket ofthe seat cushion, and wherein the link bracket is provided with aprotruding piece extending perpendicularly thereto, the link bracketbeing pivotally supported on the support shaft with the protruding piecethereof being inserted through the circular arc-shaped hole of theretaining bracket, and wherein a return coil spring is stretched betweenthe link bracket and the retaining bracket, so that the recliningoperation lever is urged by the return coil spring so as to be returnedto its original position after the reclining operation lever is releasedfrom the operated condition thereof.
 5. The arrangement lever deviceaccording to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the bracket of the seatcushion has a substantially L-shaped guide hole for guiding theinduction pin of the second swinging arm, and a support pin providedthereon, and the second swinging arm has a vertically extending hole,the second swinging arm being pivotally supported on the bracket withthe induction pin thereof being inserted through the substantiallyL-shaped guide hole of the bracket of the seat back and with thevertically extending hole thereof receiving the support pin of thebracket of the seat cushion, and the second swinging arm being adaptedto be located relative to the bracket of the seat cushion at an initialstate in such a manner that the induction pin thereof is located at amiddle bent-portion of the substantially L-shaped guide hole of thebracket of the seat cushion and a lower end portion of the verticallyextending hole thereof is abutted against the support pin of the bracketof the seat cushion, wherein when the reclining operation lever and thewalk-in operation lever are operated, the second swinging arm is swungforward and rearward while being guided along the substantially L-shapedguide hole of the bracket of the seat cushion.